The School of Possibilities

May 24, 2010
In this inventive, surreal, but somewhat incoherent tale, 12-year-old Storm Steele, a good-hearted but undisciplined boy who has failed at his previous schools, is enrolled by his incompetent father and overbearing stepmother at the experimental School of Possibilities, where strict discipline is the rule. If he fails, he is told, "I will be expelled, and after that, nothing good will be waiting for me in this life." Storm soon runs afoul of a variety of seemingly irrational school regulations. He refuses to take up mandatory hobbies, is uninterested in the girlfriend he has been assigned, and hears rumors of children who have disappeared after failing. This satire about repressive educational methods, vaguely reminiscent of Louis Sachar's Holes, was a bestseller in Parkkola's native Finland. But it is hamstrung by an often awkward and unidiomatic translation ("I waited patiently for the evening meal, and when it arrived, I tried to tell them at the table something vague about my class soccer training and my buddy who was waiting for me in the car park") that makes for halted reading. Ages 9–12.

July 1, 2010
Gr 5–8—-his import explores themes of education, family, freedom, and rebellion through an innovative and entertaining narrative. Labeled "an impossible child" because of his skateboarding and other impulsive behaviors, 12-year-old Storm is sent to the School of Possibilities, where "desperate children learn obedience." The boy soon experiences bizarre methods of discipline that include an assigned best friend who is clearly an enemy and a variety of subtle and overt humiliations from school staff and model students. As Storm's status worsens, he meets India, the enigmatic leader of a small group of homeless "outlaw" kids who oppose the school. Using stealth and graffiti, they challenge the authorities and try to uncover the ominous secret that lies in the school's basement. Storm's wry narration shifts smoothly from humorous irony to fear and desperation, matching the satire and suspense that run simultaneously through the novel. His words and behavior are never predictable, making him an especially engaging protagonist. The evil counselor, also Storm's new stepmother, makes a formidable lead villain, while the robotic students and the boy's frustratingly apathetic parents serve as further threats to his freedom. The strongly developed urban setting has a surrealistic feel, with the looming, sterile school buildings literally and figuratively opposing the dark factory that the outlaws use as their refuge. Black-and-white line drawings neatly reflect the chaos of Storm's world. Foreshadowing occasionally delays forward progress of the plot, but the fine characterizations and palpable atmosphere are dynamic enough to hold interest, and build to a satisfying conclusion.—"Steven Engelfried, Wilsonville Public Library, OR"

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